


Hostiles On The Hill

by FrozenHearts



Series: Din Djarin Accidentally Adopts A Bunch Of Jedi And There's Nothing He Can Do About It [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Jedi: Fallen Order (Video Game), The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Accidental Jedi Acquisition, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, BAMF Cal Kestis, BD-1 Is The Best (Star Wars: Jedi: Fallen Order), Cal Kestis Needs a Hug, Canon Compliant, Din Djarin just keeps picking up all these Jedi damn, Episode: s02e05 The Jedi, Episode: s02e06 The Tragedy, Force Bond (Star Wars), Force Sensitivity (Star Wars), Force-Sensitive Din Djarin, Gen, Good Parent Din Djarin, Hurt Cal Kestis, I'm Sorry, Implied/Referenced Torture, Kidnapping, Lightsabers, Mentioned Cere Junda, Mentioned Cobb Vanthe, Mentioned Greez Dritus, Non-Canonical Character Death, Protective Din Djarin, Protectiveness, Reluctant Parent Din Djarin, Rescue, The Force, The Mandalorian Darksaber (Star Wars), don't worry none of the good guys die in this one, i don't know how the Force works and at this point i'm too afraid to ask, if a jedi is in need din will answer the call whether he wants to or not, tattooine, wow i'm really mean to cal in a lot of my star wars fics
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-08
Updated: 2020-12-08
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:02:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27947981
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrozenHearts/pseuds/FrozenHearts
Summary: Din Djarin goes after Moff Gideon and finds more than he bargained for.
Relationships: BD-1 & Cal Kestis, BD-1 (Star Wars) & Eno Cordova, Baby Yoda (The Mandalorian TV) & BD-1 (Star Wars), Baby Yoda (The Mandalorian TV) & Cal Kestis, Baby Yoda (The Mandalorian TV) & Din Djarin, Boba Fett & Fennec Shand, Din Djarin & Ahsoka Tano, Din Djarin & BD-1 (Star Wars), Din Djarin & Boba Fett, Din Djarin & Cal Kestis, Din Djarin & Fennec Shand, Eno Cordova & Cal Kestis, Moff Gideon & Cal Kestis
Series: Din Djarin Accidentally Adopts A Bunch Of Jedi And There's Nothing He Can Do About It [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2048009
Comments: 11
Kudos: 279





	Hostiles On The Hill

**Author's Note:**

> Hi I meant to write this last week after the episode aired but I'm writing it now oh well
> 
> And yes, the title for this is yet another Star Wars Bad Lip Reading reference bonus points for those who know it cuz it SLAPS

"Go to Tython," Ahsoka said.

Tython was a giant rock in the middle of lush greenery that under any other circumstances, Din thought he would enjoy with the kid.

"I am a Jedi," Ahsoka said.

Her being a Jedi almost killed him and he did not sign up for getting killed despite it almost happening on a regular basis. 

"His name is Grogu," Ahsoka said.

Well. It was nice to know the kid's name, at least.

"I cannot train him," Ahsoka said. 

And so he went to Tython which besides being a giant rock in the middle of lush greenery that under any other circumstances, Din thought he would enjoy with the kid, was an absolute shit show. First some idiot stormtroopers showed up. Said idiot stormtroopers shot at him as the kid decided to contact the Jedi at the worst damn time. Then while the stormtroopers were playing a poor game of target practice, the Fett guy demanded the armor he had received from Cobb back on Tattooine.

And then he introduced Fennec Shanda, who by all accounts, should be dead but hey, an open stomach wound is nothing durasteel can't fix, right? 

She made a joke, the Fett guy laughed and then he gaffed the fuck out of the remaining stormtroopers, which honestly was impressive as all fuck. Not that Din would admit it- of course his admiration was cut short as he realized the stormtroopers had succeeded and were now transporting his kid to none other than Moff Gideon. 

So he, Fett and Shand split up, Fett and Shand taking care of any stragglers on the ground while Din jetpacks after Gideon's ship. The wind was whistling in his ears as he flew, singing against the beskar of his helmet and soon that whistle was replaced with the roar of the ship engines, heat radiating from the blasters keeping them afloat. The beskar spear was stiff against his back, his cape fluttering around his legs as he managed to latch himself on to the side of the ship; just as his fingers brushed the railing, however, an odd sensation flowed over him.

It felt- well, he wasn't sure how it felt; oddly warm, caressing his form as he moved to form a fist; his knuckles hurt as he turned his fingers into his palm- just as he reared back his arm to smash the window, a voice rang out, desperate and pleading-

" _Stop! He's just a child! Stop-!_ "

Din halted momentarily- what was that? Who-

_"He will be a powerful addition to my arsenal-"_

_"No! You can't- we're peacekeepers-!"_

_"I can do whatever I damn well please and you Jedi cannot stop me."_

Growling, Din threw his fist through the glass, crystalline shards blowing back against his helmet and he charged forward into the ship, jetpack still blasting behind him; pain jolted from his ankles, making him since but he ignored it as he stalked down the corridor. Blaster bolts dinged off his armor, clanks and dings echoing as he went. That odd sensation still enveloped him, and once the final stormtrooper was downed, Din huffed out a breath. 

Leaning against the wall, he let himself close his eyes and take a second to breathe.

As Din closed his eyes, the odd feeling grew stronger, voices rattling around in his brain until he could focus on just the two of them. Flashes of red hair danced behind his eyelids, a scar across the bridge of a nose and the billowing folds of a poncho being wrapped carefully around Grogu's large ears.

A small beeping noise echoed in his mind and upon focusing, Grogu under the poncho seemed to come into focus: just under the crook of this Jedi's elbow, tucked up into his chest his foundling was tightly hugging the Jedi back; nuzzling into Grogu's side as some form of comfort was a small droid, an exploration unit. It beeped again, it's antennae shaking with each swivel of its head and Grogu gurgled in response and reached with his tiny green hand to pet the droid in kind. 

"Okay Grogu," Din muttered to himself, "I'm on my way. Just gotta tell me where you are on this ship...."

\-------

Cal wasn't sure who this child was but he was damned if he was going to let the likes of Moff Gideon get a hold of him. If his assumptions were correct, there was no doubt that wherever Moff Gideon was, the Second Sister was likely not far behind. BD-1 was beeping softly to the kid, but he could feel how terrified he was. The Force was screaming out to him, warning him- danger! Danger! 

The child was clutching to his poncho, grubby fingers holding on for dear life, tucking his tiny face into Cal's chest.

He could practically hear Cere admonishing him for getting caught, as well as Greez's dry laughter because "despite being the big bad Jedi you sure know how to get your ass beat, kiddo!"

He pushed the memory away, focusing on the child shivering under him, shielding him from Moff Gideon's menacing. The man was arrogant in every sense of the word- high and mighty, there was a glint in his eye bordering on manic yet the Force was telling him the man was of sound mind...

It was terrifying. 

Gideon was silent now after Cal had begged him not to harm the child; he was eyeing them with disdain, as if he had stepped in spilled milk, his nose curling as he watched Cal shield the baby-

_"Okay, Grogu, I'm on my way. You just gotta tell me where you are on this ship...."_

Cal froze, stealing a glance down at the child.

"Grogu?" he whispered, his voice trembling and the child blinked up at him with big watery eyes; BD-1 chirped in response only to burrow into Cal's armpit; Gideon was still rambling on and on to what, Cal no longer knew. 

But then the child pressed his hand flat against Cal's chest, and the Force suddenly rushed through him and images suddenly flashed before him:

A white floating pram. 

Needles and doctors and beeping machines.

Children laughing and playing, a woman with long dark hair and a blue dress watching over them as she picked plants from a garden on a lush farm. 

Cal heard bottles clinking alongside cantina music. The roar of a flamethrower as sandworms shrieked into the night sky. The smell of molten metal burned Cal's nostrils and Beskar shone clearly in his mind as the Force showed him- as Grogu showed him a warrior he'd only heard about in stories. 

Cal glanced down at Grogu who seemed to wilt in his arms as he pulled his hand away; BD-1 was quick to catch him before he fell completely.

"-must say you are more resilient than other Jedi I've come across," Gideon's voice pulled Cal back to the present and Cal jumped as he found Gideon oh so close, eyes bright and mischievous. "I've heard they even reinstated the Inquisitors just to find you!"

Cal swallowed roughly, "What do you want with him?"

Gideon looked as if he was actually considering the question, his hand lowering, poised just above his hip. On his belt Cal could see the unmistakable hilt of a saber.

Kriff. 

"Originally we needed the asset for Midichlorian count," Moff Gideon drawled, "following it and a Mandalorian all around the galaxy after he failed to turn in the bounty a while back."

"Seems this Mandalorian had some sense in him," Cal muttered under his breath, tightening his grip on Grogu as Moff Gideon looked down his nose at them. Just over Gideon's shoulder, Cal spotted a pair of handcuffs hanging from one of the other officer's belts. The Force was washing over him, a faint shimmer as it tried to form a shield. 

"Interesting," Gideon commented nonchalantly as the bubble flickered in and out, "I knew Jedi had many skills but I've yet to see one create a Force shield."

Cal didn't say anything, pursing his lips as he tried to focus-

"You know the Second Sister- lovely woman, really- she told me about you," Gideon crouched down in front of him, boots squeaking against the shiny waxed floor of the cell, "You're stronger than most Jedi- with your Psychometry, I'd say the strongest one, perhaps."

Cal shivered, the Force struggling along with him as he tried to sustain the shield- he knew in the back of his mind, he could have BD-1 jab Grogu with a stim but given his age and species, it was too risky. There was no telling what a stim pack would do when introduced to Grogu's biology and Gideon was looking over them, a darkness threatening to swallow them while and Cal pushed out with the Force as much as he could just as Gideon's think fingers curled around the mysterious lightsaber hilt on his waist.

The Force kept showing him the Mandalorian, Grogu's Mandalorian and as he could see the armored man careening around the ship, silently calling for his foundling, his child, his son, Cal thought he heard a name.

_Din Djarin._

There was a click, the sound of something being drawn and just as Cal picked up his head, he found himself nose to blade with Gideon's saber. A beam of energy was thick and long and heavy and it was as dark as the night skies on Bracca, so dark Cal thought he could see tiny white flames along the edge of the blade itself. Gideon was pressing down upon his shield, teeth grit with determination and Cal felt his shield flickering, the saber jolting closer and closer until he could feel the heat of it against his skin. 

Cal let himself push out with the Force once more, giddy as he felt himself grow limp with exhaustion upon doing so.

_Din Djarin, my name is Cal Kestis._

_Please. Help me._

The last thing he heard was a sharp click, the feeling of metal cool around his wrists as he blacked out.

\--------

Din skidded around a corner as a voice grew stronger in his mind. His shoulder clipped the wall but he ignored the recoil as he stumbled on his way. The voice sounded frantic, hoarse from screaming at Gideon but it was still clear enough to understand.

That odd sensation was back, curling around his wrists and ankles, prodding at his back; he could feel it urging him to keep going, you're almost there! You're so close!

_Please. Help me._

The Jedi sounded young. Too young to be fighting Gideon, too young to be dealing with whatever the Empire had in store. Grogu himself was fifty but he didn't know what species this Jedi was- most likely human given what he was able to glimpse, but he wouldn't know for sure until he got there. The feeling followed Din as he found himself running down a narrow hallway, lights blinking obnoxiously overhead. Just as he neared the door, though, Din thought he could hear a heavy thud followed by some frantic beeps.

His armor clanged loud against the door as he barrelled his shoulder into it, muffling the commotion inside but they were in there.

The Jedi was in there.

His kid was in there.

Din geared up for one more slam against the door, charging with all his night-

\- only to roll right past the guards and onto the floor, slamming hard into the far wall. Moff Gideon laughed as he landed, and through the slight pain erupting in the back of his skull, Din thought he could see the man twirl a saber of his own in his left hand. 

"Mando!" Gideon crooned, taking a step forward, "So nice of you to drop by!"

Din growled, "Gideon. Give me the child."

Gideon frowned, his finger fiddling with the switch of his blade. Looking just past him, Din could see Grogu huddling up against a prone form on the floor; his foundling was tugging on the person's poncho, gurgling as if he was going to convince the person to get up. 

"I see you've noticed our company," Gideon barked out a laugh, turning to the side to glare at him, "He was strong. But being strong just wasn't cutting it."

Din felt his heart ache as he watched Grogu and a tiny droid jumped over the Jedi's person- Grogu had his hand outstretched, eyes narrowed at Gideon as the droid armed itself with what Din thought was a potion popping out of its tiny head. Grogu looked so determined, fingers splayed like claws as he clutched the Jedi's poncho like it was a lifeline, like it was the only thing tethering him to this moment and I'm a way it was.

That odd feeling was surging around him, all throughout the room; Din felt it tugging at his cape, urging him to get up, screeching in his ear to move! Do something!

Din took one more look at the Jedi. His pale skin was ashy, scars decorating his cheek and nose. His poncho was dusty and tattered, and his red hair was so bright, Din wasn't sure if he was looking at a person or the twin suns of Tattooine. Eyes roving over him, Din saw a cracked glint of silver and copper on the Jedi's belt.

It reminded him of Ahsoka's twin laser swords, bright in the dark of the Magistrate's lands. 

"Why do you want them anyway?" Din was surprised to find himself speaking, "The child and... the Jedi?"

Gideon smirked and oh, how badly Din wanted to punch that smug look off his face. His breath was slowly coming back to him and now that he was starting to breathe a little better, Din noticed the guards had filed the room- when had that happened? Pushing the thought away, Din focused as Gideon ambled over to Grogu and the Jedi; he felt himself lurch forward as Gideon bent down and dug his fingers into the Jedi's hair, the red strands stark against the black of Gideon's gloves.

"His hair is unlike any I've seen on a fellow human," Gideon commented, "a shade most people would pay thousands of credits to recreate."

Din nudged himself forward, "Hair is hair, Gideon."

Gideon yanked the Jedi's head up and Find froze in place, hand in mid-air as he reached for them. The scars were more prominent up close, and Din could see under the collar of the Jedi's clothes old scars and burn marks. From what, he didn't know, but Din didn't want to think about it. 

"And vanity is vanity," Gideon let the Jedi's head fall from his grasp, his cheek smacking loud against the floor. "Much like vanity, power is as unattainable as ever- much like this Jedi's hair. Just out of reach, but with the right tools, even the most out of reach goals can be yours in the blink of an eye."

A whir sounded and suddenly the room was bathed in black light- Grogu jerked back with the droid, pressing themselves against the wall and Din reached out to him in what he hoped was a placating manner, a calming gesture. That feeling was almost choking him now, right around his body as it urged him to act, to rip the beskar spear off his back and slam it down-

Gideon's face was almost comical as Din surged up to meet the black laser beam, but it wasn't the beskar spear that Din gripped tightly.

It was the Jedi's own blade, heavy but firm and the blade sang a bright orange that rivaled the Tattooine sunsets.

\--------

The fight was over rather quickly.

Well. Not quickly, but Fun didn't know how else to describe it, as he wasn't exactly one for sword-fighting and Gideon liked to swing wife, leaving himself open and susceptible to any other attacks Din had up his sleeve. He sliced and parried and did his best, the dark saber loud against his armor as Gideon fought back; their capes equal hinderance as they tangled between legs as their blades burned into their eyes, glaring each other down until one winner was determined.

Din was that winner, tired after managing to get Gideon in the gut; a stomach wound that durasteel wouldn't be able to fix this time. As Gideon's body fell to the floor, Din turned the lightsaber off, spinning on his heel to see Grogu and the droid lingering over the Jedi. Carefully, Din lowered himself to his knees, reaching out slowly towards Grogu. Grogu blinked owlishly at him, patting the Jedi's poncho as if that would get him up faster. The droid hopped up on the Jedi's body, nudging his neck lightly.

"Grogu, it's okay," Din cooed, wiggling his fingers, and he beamed as Grogu giggled, arms outstretched as he toddled towards Din. The droid beeped inquisitively, hopping down from its perch to approach Din as well. "And who are you?"

The droid hopped in place, chirping as it opened something on the top of its head; a blue hologram burst forth, shaky and flickering but Din could still make out the form of an old man in long robes, his face obscured slightly by a heavy hood. The droid looked up at it expectantly, antennae quivering in anticipation as the hologram opened its mouth to speak.

"My name is Eno Cordova," the hologram announced, "and I pray whoever finds this BD-1 unit is safe from harm."

Din cocked his head, "You recognize this guy, Grogu?"

The answer apparently no, as Grogu shrugged in response.

"There is an important piece of information hidden in the dark recesses of the ancient Jedi order; a list of Force-sensitive beings," Cordova's voice was firm despite the hologram's shakiness. Din watched it with a careful eye, gaze darting between the hologram and the Jedi currently out cold in front of him. Was this Jedi on that list? Was Grogu on this list?

Was Gideon hunting down every person on this list?

"This list is to not fall into the Empire's hands," Cordova's voice broke through Din's thoughts, "and this BD-1 unit shall ensure that the list does not. Whoever you are, I wish you luck on your journey. May the Force be with you."

And then the hologram flickered out, the droid's- BD-1- head slid closed. Just as the latch clicked shut, Din heard a sharp groan, and the Jedi was slowly waking, eyes scrunched so tight the bridge of his nose blanched, stray strands of red falling in his face as he shifted; Din could see bruises underneath the metal cuffs that upon closer looked way heavier than a standard issue pair. Putting Grogu down, he patted his head before shuffling over to him.

"....Cal?" Din tried, his voice hoarse as he tried to keep it low, "Cal Kestis?"

"P-please..." Cal cowered pitifully, ducking his head into the floor as he made a feeble attempt to scoot away, "No... no more-"

"Kid-kid listen-" Din was quick to reply, "I'm not gonna hurt you- CAL!"

Cal looked absolutely miserable as Din barked at him; green eyes wide and bloodshot, skin blotchy from crying. BD-1 was quick to scuttle over and out popped one of those green canisters Din had seen in his vision, the droid jabbing Cal in the crook of his shoulder with it. After a few minutes, Cal seemed to look a little better, if not a little foggy in the eyes.

"You're the Mandalorian," Cal whined, "the one that Grogu showed me."

Oh. Great, more mind talking that Din had no way of understanding.

"How did Grogu show me to you?" Din asked.

Cal looked terrified. Licking his lips, he croaked, "The Force is all around us. Even in here- you must have felt it, right?"

Din looked at him incredulously, despite the kid being unable to see underneath the helmet, and then it him.

"I felt something in the corridor," Din said, "it almost spoke to me-"

"Yeah, the Force does that sometimes," Cal offered a small smile before it disappeared just as quickly, "I'm still learning myself, I just-"

"Hey," Din said softly, "it's okay. It's okay, listen I'm gonna get you out of here."

And oh, the look on Cal's face hurt so much, tears dotting the corners of his eyes, his poncho dirtied and torn and the bruises marring his skin. He looked so small, as he looked at Din with something he could only describe as hope. Something so visceral Din had to look away, look down at Grogu who had settled himself in his lap and was holding on tightly with his tiny hands as he nuzzled into him, a comforting sense.

"You don't believe me," Din said, "What did Gideon do to you?"

Cal gulped, "Is that who that was?"

Din hung his head. Where had this one been hiding if he didn't even know who Moff kriffing Gideon was? Heaving a sigh, Din lifted Grogu up, holding him close as he approached Cal once more. The Jedi startled slightly, looking about to collapse if he dared to attempt to run. Thankfully Cal relaxed as Din reached for the cuffs around his wrists- they were so heavy, heavier than the beskar he wore and he found red welts in the skin, pale white stained a vicious ugly red. His mind flashed back to what Gideon wanted the child for- apparently Jedi blood was powerful.

Din could feel the Force around them, whispering sweet nothings and Din knew he had to get Cal out of here as soon as possible.

"You have anyone we can contact, kid?" Din asked, "Any, uh, Jedi Master or-"

"I'm a part of the Mantis Crew," Cal offered, "with Cere Junda and Greez Dritus. We were actually in the town nearby to fix our ship when that guy sent stormtroopers through the place, they- they grabbed me a while ago, I guess."

"Okay," Din carefully slung an arm around Cal's waist, grunting as he helped the kid up and he was alarmed at how light he was. Slowly, they exited the cell, blatantly ignoring the body lying on the floor, bleeding out, "Okay we're gonna get you to them and we're gonna get these kriffing cuffs off you."

The corridor was quiet as they went, the whir of the ship's engine drowned out by the Force as it urged them to hurry. The window was smashed just as Din had left it and he carefully swept Cal up in his arms, Grogu settling in Cal's lap with BD-1 and he let himself jump, the Jedi passing out fully by the time he made it to the ground.

**Author's Note:**

> i think I'm just gonna make my niche writing about Din accidentally adopting a bunch of Jedi, I mean first Rey, now Cal it will never end lmao


End file.
